Get to Know Us
Teachers and Board MembersLearn about the people that make this community great.
Meet Our Teachers
Our highly trained staff come from diverse teaching backgrounds and have unique interests.

Kara Osberg
Head of School, OG Tutor, Founder
Learn More about Ms. Kara
Ms. Kara is the Director and co-founder of Vertical Skills Academy. She is an entrepreneurial collaborative problem-solver with a passion for supporting others as they parent or educate the dyslexic children in their lives. As a highly trained Orton-Gillingham interventionist and seasoned advocate with nearly twenty years of personal and professional experience with students, families, and academic programs, Ms. Kara also provides mentorship, academic coaching, and tutoring.

Christine Riedlin
OG Tutor, Reading & Writing
Learn More about Ms. Christine!

Michelle Gasser
ELA and OG Tutor
Learn More about Ms. Michelle
Coming soon!

Garrett Grigsby
OG Math
Learn More about Mr. Garrett!

Emily Kemp
Tutor, Reading & Writing
Learn More about Ms. Emily!
Emily is a longtime member of the Evergreen mountain community. She is a native Coloradan and continues to enjoy living the mountain life. Emily graduated from MetroState University with a Bachelors’s degree in Behavioral Science & Elementary Education. Her passion for helping children succeed led her into the education field where she found her niche in literacy intervention. She hopes to create a fun & exciting learning environment for her students so they can develop a life long love of learning. Emily, her husband, and their two daughters are excited to be apart of the VSA family.

Jen Halsall
OG Tutor
Learn More about Ms. Jen!

Mindy Russell
OG Tutor
Learn More about Ms. Mindy!
My name is Mindy and I’m Dyslexic! My passion is driven by my personal struggles with dyslexia and the lack of support available for my difference in learning. I went into teaching to make a change in education. I don’t want any child that struggles with the same disability to go through life feeling like they are not smart simply because the public education system wasn’t set up to meet their needs. Sadly, in the four years that I was pursuing my Special Education degree, Dyslexia wasn’t even mentioned in the curriculum! Nor was there available training for a masters degree in Dyslexia Education at the time I was seeking it. Luckily, I was able to find Joyce Bilgrave, an Orton-Gillingham expert, was trained, and am able to make the difference in teaching that I wish I had when I was growing up. I am also a parent of a child with Dyslexia and have a full understanding of what parents struggle with when trying to get the services their child needs. I am a lifetime learner and enjoy learning from my children, my students, and members of my community. Someday, I would love to take my kids to Lake Powell on a houseboat. My dream vacation would be picking sea glass off of the shore on a beach in California.
Meet Our Board of Directors

Lindsay Lesch
Board President
Learn More about Lindsay!
Ms. Lesch is the owner and primary tutor for Academic Ascents, LLC is located in Frisco, Colorado. Originally from Maine, she graduated from the University of Maine, where she earned a B.S. in Special Education. She then pursued her certification as an Orton-Gillingham tutor through the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council. She has been working with students in a school setting, summer camps, and as a private tutor for over ten years. She is now certified as a Dyslexia Practitioner through the International Dyslexia Association and has earned her Masters Certificate in Dyslexia Studies and Language-Based Learning Disabilities from Southern New Hampshire University.
In addition to her tutoring endeavors, Ms. Lesch has seven years of teaching experience as a Special Education teacher. She is dually certified as both a Special Education Generalist (Ages 5-21) and as an Elementary Education Teacher (Grades K-6) Her passion is to help every student experience success, especially in academic areas that are challenging. By working with every student to help them identify their individual learning strengths and needs, she empowers students to maintain a positive perspective despite the challenges they face in school. Additionally, she hosts workshops for parents, teachers, and community members to develop a greater awareness of Dyslexia in the schools and community.

Angie Wolff
Treasure
Learn More about Angie!
Angie Wulff has been teaching children and adults for over 20 years. She has a Masters in Educational Psychology, a teaching license in K-12 Moderate Needs (students with learning differences), and an advanced degree in library science. She is also a board certified Life Coach with a focus in ADHD (Attentional Deficit Hyperactivity Disability- especially executive functioning skills). She was a teacher and librarian at Conifer High School, Bergen Valley Elementary and most recently at Jefferson County Open School (JCOS).
Currently, in addition to being an Success Coach/Tutor, she enjoys substituting at VSA and JCOS. This is her first year on the board at VSA. Her passion is helping students to become confident and successful in their academic lives.

Heather Fleming
Board Member
Learn More about Heather
Coming soon!

Becky Kalahiki
Treasure
Learn More about Becky
Coming soon!

Christina Griggs
Vice President
Learn More about Christina
Coming soon!

Katherine Christensen
Business Manager
Learn More about Katherine
Coming Soon!
Get In Touch
Location: 32156 Castle Ct, Suite 201, Evergreen, CO 80439
Telephone: (303) 562-1900
Email: info@verticalskillsacademy.org
School Hours: M-F: 8:30am – 3:00pm